


Everything

by gaygentsofshield



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Agents of SHIELD - Fandom
Genre: AOS, AoS season 1, F/M, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Gen, Grant Ward/OC - Freeform, Leo Fitz/OC - Freeform, Philinda - Freeform, Science Fiction, Season 1 AOS, Skyeward - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-05-31 23:21:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15129965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaygentsofshield/pseuds/gaygentsofshield
Summary: -In which two agents discover that opposites really do attract.Sophia Marshall is an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D who, whilst being skilled in her chosen field, finds navigating personal relationships and her professionalism difficult. Despite coming off as easily annoyed, yet simultaneously not serious enough, she is fiercely loyal to her organisation and extremely determined. Joining Phil Coulson’s specialised team was a tough decision to make, but the new bonds formed will hopefully provide a bridge into the future to further the young agent from past experiences. However, talented S.H.I.E.L.D scientist and fellow member of Coulson’s team, (Leo Fitz) is one piece of the puzzle that doesn’t quite fit.





	1. Redemption

**Author's Note:**

> This story is also on my wattpad, @gaygentsofshield there too: https://my.w.tt/Ka99ENgUcO if you prefer to read there Xx

Darkness crept in from each corner of the dim room, but dispersed in the centre as the overhead lighting beamed directly on the desk below- it almost gave the impression of a spotlight. Perhaps it could be interpreted this way as one of S.H.I.E.L.D's best Agents, Maria Hill, grilled a young woman in front of her. The room was strategic and professional, it wasn't too big or too small, it was merely fit for purpose.

"Frankly, I'd question your intelligence if you didn't take this opportunity. It aligns with all of your strengths and will also develop the weaker aspects of your fieldwork operations skills."

Maria Hill's intimidation lay in the fact that she most definitely didn't have time for anyone who wasn't immediately important, and it made you very aware that she often didn't want to be in your presence. The young agent in her company felt Hill's hard gaze but knew to stay statutory.

A thick file was the only object on the metal table, dozens of mission reports, evaluations, and physical test results lying delicately between Hill's fingers. A whole career- a whole life -in one, neat, store of documents. The young woman sighed and flickered her eyes towards the file before staring back at Hill and emitting a short, sharp, humourless laugh.

"Weaker aspects? Hill, the aspect I believe you're referring to is teamwork, which obviously in this case, may be the most important aspect."

  
She folded her arms and gazed at Agent Hill, almost challenging her to disagree.

Maria Hill took a long, drilling stare at the woman across from her. Despite it being one of exasperation, there was also clear empathy in the agent's eyes. She briskly shook her head.

"No, Agent Marshall, teamwork is not a weak aspect of yours. There's been setbacks, yes, but you'll be able to move on and develop, rebuild yoursel-"

"So it's redemption?"

Silence rushed in and filled the room, practically stealing all of Hill's power in that moment. It was suffocating. The conversation was leading nowhere as both women were equally stubborn and attempts at persuasion were having no effect in leading to a final decision. Neither of them spoke for a few  moments as Agent Hill scanned through the file, appearing to be searching for something in particular.

"Look," She turned the file so Agent Marshall could read it for herself, "You were requested. Not someone with your skill set, not just any agent, you."

Hill anticipated the question that would follow.

"Yes, even after what happened."

Agent Marshall's eyes softened. She nodded slightly and the cogs turned in her mind as she weighed up the pros and cons- they were rather balanced. Despite meekly accepting the offer presented to her, Agent Marshall found herself subsequently doubting and questioning the decision, constantly picking it all apart and building it back up again. Joining Coulson's specialised team was happening later for her than the other candidates due to a long, necessary period of recovery. The injuries weren't too severe but a disastrously broken leg had required weeks of physiotherapy, much to the Agent's dismay. It certainly wasn't ideal for a career built upon fast, tactical movement.

She didn't know much about the team, it's members, or how it functioned. However, the anxiousness surrounding the whole ordeal lessened considerably when it was made clear that they'd faced only one mission so far- she hadn't missed much at all. This fact weighed on the girl's mind as she awaited further information concerning her arrival. Introductions weren't a cause of worry for the young agent, being apart of S.H.I.E.L.D meant working with new people constantly, which forced a formality between almost everyone within the organisation. It was hard to create genuine, close relationships when levels and certain missions divided everybody there.

•

Coulson himself was the first to meet the young Agent. Dark aviators cloaked his eyes but a warm smile was plastered on the man's features and it broke out across his face far before he even reached her. Agent Marshall could feel a small smile of her own appearing involuntarily.

"Death really boosts your confidence, huh?"

Coulson grinned at her comment as he endearingly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Loki's sceptre is pretty hardcore stuff, surviving it automatically makes me more hardcore, right?" He paused to remove his glasses, "And anyway, who wouldn't want a Tahiti vacation? It's a magical place!"

"I bet." Agreed the younger Agent, following Coulson as he led her forward.

The two had known each other for a long time and his apparent death at the hands of a particular Asgardian had left Agent Marshall distraught. She was almost offended that everyone, including Phil, had allowed for so many to feel such great pain as a result of his 'death'. She teased him about these feelings as they approached the hangar of the plane- the magnificent plane. Coulson could sense her bewilderment as it was common in everyone who came across it, yet it never failed to satisfy him.  
Just as the pair began to walk onto the plane, Coulson briskly stopped them both. Agent Marshall turned to him, an eyebrow raised in inquisition, and he smiled.

"This team, well... everyone's still..." He paused briefly, searching for the desired word, "Adjusting. I mean, the only mission that's occurred included the kidnapping of an actual member of this team so..."

He finished his sentence with a sheepish smile and said no more.

The plane's interior was even more impressive than the exterior, and the younger agent was automatically extremely interested in viewing a map, or blue prints of some sort. She unintentionally missed anything that Coulson said, too wrapped up in the surrounding environment. Every surface seemed to be equipped for purpose or comfort, (or both) and actual glee struck the agent when she noted the bar.

Her focus was torn away from the plane as they came face to face with four other people, all standing with varying degrees of awkward hostility.

"Everyone, this is Agent Sophia Marshall and she will be joining us from here on out!"

Sophia didn't even smile at the agents in front her once Coulson announced her entrance, due to being too caught up in the presence of Grant Ward. Her eyes widened slightly as they met Agent Ward's, his demeanour now also extremely thrown off. However, she recovered quickly from her reaction and offered a warm smile and a nod that she hoped didn't seem forced or over the top. Unbeknownst to her, Agent Melinda May had registered her unpleasant surprise.

"These are Agents May, Ward, Fitz, Simmons, and.." Coulson hesitated, "This is Skye, who is...not an Agent."

Sophia turned to Skye with a look that suggested she'd like to hear more about this situation, remembering that Coulson had mentioned a 'kidnapping' of a team member.

"Yep, hi," Skye waved awkwardly, "That's me, non-agent Skye. It's a strange middle ground kind of thing."

Ward rolled his eyes as Skye faded off and Fitz and Simmons appeared to be almost amused. Agent May stood still, seemingly more interested in the screen in front of everybody. Sophia was intrigued with May's presence as the last she knew May was working behind a desk everyday, despite her renounced piloting skills.

"I hate to cut the introductions short but we've received word of an 0-8-4," Coulson suddenly interjected, reminding everyone. He didn't need to explain this to Sophia, she was perfectly aware of the danger 0-8-4s could bring. "You'll need to see your bunk first though-"

Ward cut in before Coulson even finished, suggesting that he show Sophia around considering Fitz, Simmons, and Skye still needed the mission information. All eyes swivelled round to him however, surprised at the Agent's hospitality. Even Coulson wore a look of slight surprise but brushed it off, motioning for Sophia to go ahead. She followed Ward briskly, neither Agents exchanging any words. They reached a succession of odd doors, with an open one remaining at the end. Inside was a bed, a shelf, and a television which readily sported a large S.H.I.E.L.D logo.

"This one's yours," stated Ward dryly, "Next to you is Fitz."

Sophia rolled her eyes at Ward's pretence, already fed up of his attitude.

"You, here?" She began, "I mean I'm pretty sure you enjoyed that whole mysterious 'lone wolf' thing just fine!"

"Oh wow," laughed Ward humourlessly, "Do you even possess an ounce of professionalism?"

Meaningless bickering began immediately between the two, it was a reemerging pattern with the Agents. Their missions together had always ended in a fight of some sort yet the missions themselves were always very successful. It was a tricky relationship.  
A moment of silence finally fell between them and Ward sighed, momentarily putting his pride aside.

"Well, the last I heard you were gone for good. I'm glad you're still here... your skills may or may not be useful."

Sophia scoffed and threw her bag down on the bed but flashed Ward a smirk all the same.

"See? Was that really so painful?"

Ward's scowl appeared instantaneously and he began muttering about getting Sophia fired. Just as it seemed like things could get heated again, an awkward cough got the agent's attention. Agent Fitz stood near the doorway, his eyebrows knitted slightly as he clearly registered the light tension in the air.

"Um- sorry, Coulson requires you both. Mission details coming through and all that."

Wordlessly, the three agents made their way back.

***


	2. Teamwork

The Incan temple caused an array of reactions ranging from excitable chatter from Fitzsimmons, an eyebrow raise from Sophia, wonderment from Skye, and well, nothing from Ward. The unidentified artefact lay lodged in the temple wall and Coulson advised the archaeologists to stay back until it was verifiably safe. Coulson, Ward, and May remained outside of the temple to keep others out and ensure that recent protestors wouldn't become involved. Inside, Fitzsimmons, Skye, and Sophia stood around the unknown object. 

"Well," sighed Simmons, "I believe it's at least 1500 years old!" 

Fitz furrowed his eyebrows slightly at that revelation, doing his best to observe the artefact too.

"Could be, Simmons. The craftsmanship is most definitely- well, possibly- German." 

One of Fitz's quadcopters, (nicknamed sleepy) was being used for observation, and Sophia found herself increasingly impressed by the two scientists. She'd never admit it but their intellect was becoming rather intimidating.  
Skye was clearly feeling the same way, desperately trying to contribute to the conversation but receiving nothing but a brief period of silence and quizzical stares from both Fitz and Simmons. Sophia shot her a knowing smirk and the two women bonded silently over their extreme confusion. The scientists continued their work with no contribution from the other two as Coulson gave a command over the coms. 

"Fitzsimmons and Skye, continue observing the artefact. Agent Marshall, I need you outside."

Sophia noted the interested glances she received from the other agents and Skye as she briskly moved out of the temple, her hand resting readily on her gun. Ward and May were stood uncomfortably outside of the temple, accompanied by Coulson and a woman unknown to Sophia. There was a thick, almost tangible tension in the air. 

"Sir, have you made a friend?" Questioned Sophia, her eyes trained on the woman beside Coulson. 

Ward typically rolled his eyes at her comment. 

"Ah, Agent Marshall!" Coulson exclaimed cheerily, "This is Camilla Reyes, a former associate of mine." 

The women exchanged smiles with a brief handshake, and it took all of Sophia's willpower to bite her tongue and not ask Coulson to define "associate". The agents politely disputed government involvement, with Reyes believing that the Peruvian government should take over observation and possession of the artefact. Coulson reminded her that an 0-8-4 supersedes all national claims and the tension settled in once again, especially as Ward receded back inside the temple to hurry Fitz up.  

The unmistakable sound of wheels hitting gravel caused all agents to turn round, settling their attention on the men that had pulled up- the shining path rebels. Sophia cursed yet wasted no time, firing half accurate shots as she turned and ran into the temple. It was already slightly chaotic inside, with Fitz shouting at Skye for hurriedly placing his quadcopters in the wrong case positions. Ward was obviously losing all patience , a vein in his head genuinely throbbing. There was no time for smart remarks between the two agents and Sophia's eyes met his in complete understanding. Both were now responsible for Fitzsimmons and Skye, considering those three had insufficient combat training and couldn't keep themselves safe. 

"Fitz there's no time!" Shouted Sophia, having to shout louder than him. 

"But- hey, no- Ward, no!" Fitz was frantic as Ward grabbed the artefact and harshly shoved it inside his duffel bag. In all fairness, the careless motion made everybody else wince too. 

"It's not safe!" Continued Fitz, but it was too late. 

Sophia shoved his case into his hands and motioned for him to stay behind her as she allowed for Ward to pass them. The team emerged from the temple but were immediately under threat, causing a large scramble as Skye, Simmons, and Fitz ducked down. Ward groaned as a bullet narrowly grazed him, shooting Sophia a thankful glance when she shot the target in return. Without any hesitation, Ward shouted for everybody to stay down before emitting a specialised grenade. It caused a massive energy shock wave and knocked nearly all of the rebels off their feet, giving the team a few precious moments to make it to the vehicle which resided in front of them. It had been driven extremely erratically, but May certainly hadn't appreciated Fitz murmuring that at all.

The drive back to the bus was no easy feat, as the rebels and their fire continued directly from behind. 

"Slow down!" Fitz yelled, his primary focus on the artefact and it's unknown danger. "Ward listen, we have to be careful!" 

"What do you expect to happen?!" Sophia retorted, "Slow down and get killed?" 

Fitz snapped round to face her, (which wasn't very hard considering the back of small vehicle was completely packed full) and appeared to nearly continue arguing, yet held back at the last second. Sophia could see this and almost wanted to challenge that, to tell him to spit out whatever he was planning on saying. An exasperated Simmons rolled down the window in some sort of poor attempt at resolving anything, distracting Fitz and Sophia but resulting in far more shouting.  
The ordeal hadn't even been particularly long but everyone found themselves exhausted, whilst still being highly on edge. This fear settled slightly once they rode up the ramp onto the Bus and into safety. 

Wasting no time, Fitz began to explain the problem. The 0-8-4 was fuelled with tesseract technology, linking it to HYDRA and the second world war which therefore meant it was highly unsafe and unstable. All eyes swivelled over to the bag it had been forced into, and Skye found herself moving off it very fast. 

•

Worried glances were exchanged between Sophia and Skye at least every 5 seconds in the lab, with Sophia's jaw clenched so hard it was beginning to hurt. She'd not wanted to see combat like this, not wanted to be so responsible for other lives again. The fear wasn't for her but for the three she'd had to previously protect. This role hadn't  always been so successful. Jemma was anxiously thinking out loud and the capable scientist being extremely on edge did nothing to help anyone else's confidence. 

"Are you mental?" Spat an exasperated Fitz as he and Ward marched into the lab.  
"You and Marshall thinking you know better than the rest of us! I'm sorry I can't take on 5 men single-handedly or whatever, aided only by my bare hands, but when it comes to this, you needed to listen to me!"  

Sophia merely rolled her eyes, having no patience for the scientist. Maria Hill's words on teamwork began floating around her mind like a fractured puzzle. 

"Well I use normal English!" Ward retaliated, "Words like duck, and run, and might blow us to pieces!" 

Sophia went to move out of the laboratory, having no time for pointless bickering, but found herself waltzing straight into Coulson. He raised his eyebrows at her as if to ask why she was going off task completely, but gained a degree of understanding when he was met with the disaster that was his team.

"Do we have a problem here?" 

Sophia shuffled sheepishly back into the lab as everyone fell silent.  
Ward was the first to speak up, offering a solemn  
"no sir".  
He did however, make a brief sarcastic comment about teamwork, which nearly set Fitz off again.  
Skye began ranting, hurriedly making points on how unprepared everyone seemed. It was obvious that teamwork was unachievable. 

"I am a specialist!" Began Ward, "Today I could have eliminated the enemy threat myself if I was working alone but I had un-combat ready Agents!" 

Sophia scoffed, pointing out that he'd clearly needed her assistance but perhaps he was also right. Fitz shot her a glare.  
Coulson launched into a talk on working together, and it felt as if the team would be getting many 'talks' from him- providing that they managed to not kill each other.  

Everyone dispersed after that, not having much else to say. Fitzsimmons stayed working in the lab, with the other three finding themselves in the plane's main compartment, just off from the bunks. Ward and Skye were sat together, causing an inquisitive eyebrow raise from Sophia, but she opted to sit alone with her drink. The guest soldiers were milling around as Coulson showed Reyes his office, and the atmosphere was light- despite the day's events. She felt bad for how she'd treated the others. Being unkind wasn't how she wanted to be but it just seemed to happen. Her frustration was something that had always held her back, even in the academy. Too much uncontrollable emotion wasn't ideal for an agent, it led to bouts of anger and saying the wrong thing. 

It was when the Plane began suspiciously turning did the atmosphere shift ever so slightly. Sophia turned casually in her seat to catch Ward's eye, and he gave her the briefest nod. Adrenaline coursed through her veins immediately- something wasn't right. Without hesitation she downed her drink, wincing slightly at the alcohol's burn. Sophia got up and plastered the largest fake smile on her face, moving towards Ward and Skye. 

"Hey guys!" She faced away from the soldiers, making sure they couldn't see her wink at Ward, "Today was crazy right?" 

Like clockwork both Ward and Sophia grabbed one of the nearest soldiers each, smashing their bottles into them. Ward pinned his down, using the shock the bottle had created, whilst Sophia punched the other in the face. The fighting continued in a blur of fists and faces. Sophia took a blow to the side of the head and went scrambling into a chair, but used it to trip up her assailant. This allowed for a kick to the head, keeping him safely down on the ground. The victory didn't last however, as Coulson moved swiftly down the spiral stairs that descended from his office. 

"Stop!" He yelled, pointing at the monitor which showed the lab. 

Fitz had a knife to his throat and was being held tightly in place by one of Reyes' soldiers. Sophia's heart dropped and she assumed everyone else's did the same. To the left of her a soldier grabbed a struggling Skye, meaning the team were now dangerously trapped like prey circled by vicious predators. No one moved a muscle. 

"We were allies," stated Coulson, "We had history, when did you decide to throw that away?"

Reyes merely grinned. 

"As soon as I saw your team."

•

Blame was accepted by every single agent as they sat together, each handcuffed, in a neat line. May was the only one who didn't, but being unconscious definitely had something to do with that.

"I should of learnt Kung-fu." Sighed Fitz. 

Despite everything, his comment earned a grin from Sophia. The situation was hardly comical but Fitz's ability to focus on such things took her by surprise, and it was that he'd said it with such seriousness. 

Slight bickering broke out once May's fighting abilities were brought up, with Fitz claiming that she'd only ever worked behind a desk, whereas Skye was adamant that May had "Ninja Nohow". Sophia and Ward were already on Skye's side, with Jemma becoming enraptured with her story on "seeing May destroy a guy". 

"You've heard of the cavalry?" Smirked Ward, gaining everyone's attention.  
Fitz's eyes widened to twice their usual size. 

With incredible timing, May arose from her unconsciousness, frowning deeply at the nickname Ward had just given her. His words had instilled a deep hope in everybody though, with Jemma excitedly asking how they'd escape their predicament. This confidence began to fade as quickly as it came once May started listing every problem they currently faced. All attention turned to Fitz when May questioned what he thought should be done, but Fitz became overly flustered. 

"Hey," Said Ward softly, "Don't freeze up. You don't need to come up with all the solution, just... part of it." 

As supportive as Ward's words were, it still didn't solve anything. Impending doom remained just as likely up until May's wrist snapped. Fitz's face drained of colour at the crude sound, but everyone else grinned. A plan was soon in place, (once everyone's handcuffs were removed) which was by no means perfect, but it was the only one they had. 

May rammed a truck into the lab's windows, shattering the glass and gaining the attention of their enemies whilst the other 5 moved with haste. Fitzsimmons worked on accessing their technology and deploying the quadcopters, whilst Ward, Skye, and Sophia grabbed all the rope they could possibly find. Everyone was then belted up, with supportive glances shared amongst them all. Clearly, teamwork hadn't been impossible. Fitz accessed the previously attained artefact via his tablet, and a collective breath was taken as he used it to fire a destructive hole in the plane. 

The effect was instant. 

•

The beers they drank were perhaps the nicest beers any team member had tasted- even Ward was visibly enjoying himself. Their incredible victory contributed to that with no doubt. 

"So Fitz," Smirked Sophia, sitting down next to him, "Care to let me know what you wanted to say to me all the way back in that getaway van?" 

Fitz's cheeks tinged pink at her teasing, and he took another swig of his beer but offered her a weak smile in return. If it hadn't been for Coulson enquiring about who'd actually designed the plan, Fitz would have had to answer and he wasn't prepared for that in the slightest. 

Despite being battered and bruised the team were happy, glowing with satisfaction as they watched the artefact being launched up, the only distraction a buzzing from Skye's phone. Sophia looked up instinctively as Skye hurriedly checked the message, not paying attention to the sudden worry on her face. 

***


	3. Nervous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This episode has a lot of content and I didn't want to make one chapter too long! Thank you to everyone reading etc! Feedback, (whatever the verdict!) is always appreciated X

Time passed as it always does and the team soon found themselves growing closer in ways, a dynamic settling between each member. Sophia and Skye found themselves growing closest of all, their personalities matching completely, with a shared taste for poking fun at Ward helping their bond too. Tensions remained rather high between Ward and Sophia, and the rest of the team were beginning to question where the rivalry started, and why it was continuing. Fitz theorised a past relationship of sorts but Skye laughed at the idea, asking Fitz what he'd possibly know about such a thing. He hadn't appreciated that but recognised the humorous tone that laced her words. 

The team were, once again, crowded around the impressive holotable, a man's I.D currently on display. Fitz and Simmons took the close proximity as an opportunity to stare at Ward and Sophia, (who were stood next to each other) in an attempt to observe the pair and prove Skye wrong. Skye grinned at the scientist's need to be right. 

"Skye! Your attention please." Exclaimed Coulson whilst directing her attention to the screen, "This is Chan Ho Yin, just a struggling street performer until just a few years ago when he began to exhibit moderate pyrokinetic abilities." 

The team finally paid full attention as Fitz questioned the origins of such powers. 

"It's still under investigation," Coulson continued, "But Chan did live near a decommissioned nuclear plant when it caught on fire." 

Fitz nodded, perhaps satisfied with the answer given or perhaps the nod was to himself as he began to theorise the science behind it too. Informants had seen Chan lighting torches with his finger in a street show and brought it to S.H.I.E.L.D's attention, when he was then told to keep his abilities quiet -S.H.I.E.L.D had also listed him on the index. 

"The index?" Questioned Skye.

Jemma replied instantly and eagerly, happy to share her knowledge. 

"It's a list S.H.I.E.L.D keeps of people and objects with powers." 

Skye was outraged at the thought of it, spiralling into how they're monitored, or what 'action' could be taken against them as Ward had previously suggested. 

"Yes it's... slightly creepy," Sophia joined in, "But in today's world we need a rough idea of this sort of stuff." 

Skye shot her friend a glare for siding with Ward, and Sophia shook her head with bemusement.  
Coulson gave them both a glare as May began to converse with Agent Kwan on the large screen, which was most definitely signalling them to be quiet. It turned out Chan had been taken and so hadn't disappeared of his own free will as previously speculated. The only scrap of evidence was a small piece of fabric which had come from fireproof clothing, suggesting that those who'd taken him knew about his powers. 

"Somehow, someone hacked into our data stream," Sighed Agent Kwan, "The same cyberpunks who hacked us before...The Rising Tide?" 

Skye instantaneously found herself with 6 pairs of eyes on her and shifted under the stares of her teammates. 

• 

Sophia was worrying. 

Coulson and Ward were with Skye in Coulson's office, no doubt questioning her on the information Agent Kwan had just presented them with. It was of course standard protocol considering Skye's direct ties to the organisation. She recalled the text Skye had received after their first successful mission, just a couple of weeks previous, and how Skye's expression changed upon viewing it. Sophia banished the thought from her mind immediately, surely Skye wasn't betraying them? 

"Stop stressing," Pitched Fitz as if he'd read her mind, "We know Skye, she's our friend. And besides, when you stress it makes you even more disagreeable." 

Sophia rolled her eyes at the scientist ,especially at his muttered last comment, as she averted her gaze from the plane's small window. He was stood nonchalantly against the table but the tapping of his fingers on it's surface hinted at a hidden anxiousness too. 

"I'm not stressing," Muttered Sophia with a strong glare plastered on her features, "And that's rich coming from you. All we ever hear is your high pitched scream of stress." 

Annoyed with how he'd got under her skin, the young agent turned back towards the window. 

Fitz shook his head but a light smile danced upon his lips. They'd learnt how to stay civil with one another, but often Simmons and Skye would have to force them to shut up. Sophia felt as if Fitz was always patronising her, and Fitz felt as if Sophia was constantly doubting him. 

However, Fitz was seemingly right. Skye came down from Coulson's office, a bitter look evident on her face, but was in the clear all the same. Immediately she got to work, typing rapidly with complicated patterns as the others just stared at her work- it only also made sense to Fitzsimmons.

"She's identified the remote access trojan," Rambled Fitz, the excitement clearly identifiable in his grin and signature hand movements.

Simmons continued, discussing the TCP and the information it would detect. 

"...And Bob's your uncle!" Finished Fitz, as if they'd just delivered a step-by-step tutorial on the matter. 

Sophia raised an eyebrow at him as he stood in brief silence, his hands now proudly resting on his hips. Coulson turned to the others at a slight loss for words. He was beginning to feel too old.

"Did you two get any of that?" 

Ward shook his head slightly and reassured his boss that he'd only understood the uncle part. Sophia murmured about completely zoning out, resulting in a piercing glare from Fitz and a defeated sigh from Simmons. 

The origin of the hack was discovered to be from Austin, Texas and was found in a matter of minutes. Skye didn't receive a name immediately but an I.D was eventually discovered and belonged to a Rising Tide hacker named Miles, who was apparently one of the best in the world. Fitz fondly shared that he'd been one to leak a picture of Putin shirtless on horseback, and nearly got berated for wasting their time with how in depth he'd gone on the matter. 

The team found themselves shortly landing in Texas in attempt to catch the man himself, which surprised Skye as she'd expected this mission to be covered by Agent Kwan. Her inexplicable hesitance was noted only by Sophia and it was making her uneasy again. She wasn't sure why her teammate's behaviour was suspicious to her, considering they knew for a fact that Skye hadn't leaked the information, yet the negative feeling wouldn't subside. 

They each took different positions within the area, using the coms to communicate inconspicuously. It was Ward and Sophia who noticed him first but they didn't remain as discreet as necessary, causing Miles to notice them and break out in a sprint. Sophia silently cursed Ward for the mess up, inwardly blaming his too-harsh stare. They both began running after him and Sophia exclaimed, into the coms, that they'd been made to alert the rest of the team and provide their exact location. Miles briskly entered a car as the two agents struggled to break through a busy crowd, drawing defeated sighs from the both of them. Luckily, Coulson was stationed in a S.H.I.E.L.D van and began to follow the hacker closely. It was a dangerous chase with both of them veering at high speeds round sharp corners and making far too many turns. The team lost Miles on the road once he initiated a 'gridlock protocol', which used his evidently impressive, unique, skill set to alter lights at incorrect timings and create hindering amounts of traffic congestion. There was the painful sound of slamming on the breaks too hard before the rest of the team heard a prolonged sigh from Coulson. 

"I lost him."

•

No one said a word. It felt as if speaking would shatter the remaining peace between everyone, yet Skye's betrayal had undoubtedly shattered the new bonds she'd begun to create with everybody. Anger radiated off Coulson as he didn't even look at her, his concentration purely focused on the documents in front of him. However, it would be correct to assume that he was actually very distracted. May had Miles in the other room and the others could only guess that she was grilling him for the information required. Fitz and Simmons sat side by side on an old sofa, both with their arms crossed and eyes sadly trained on the wall. Despite the situation, Sophia decided that their behavioural symmetry was very satisfying.

"If you were going to work with- and sleep with -someone to betray everybody, it could've at least been someone less pretentious."

Sophia's bitter comment broke the uncomfortable silence. She was stood at the window, (being too on edge to sit) and didn't even turn around to face anyone. The agent felt incredibly stupid for not realising it earlier, considering doubts about Skye had been festering in her mind already. Fitz briefly looked up from his spot on the wall, slightly shocked at the boldness of Sophia's comment, and noticed how she repeatedly pulled at a loose thread on her jacket. Nervous habits, he mused. The scientist could certainly relate to that. 

Skye suddenly began to speak up, but was immediately cut off by Coulson as he held up a stern finger in her direction. Skye's head fell slightly in shame. 

"How long have you two been in contact? Questioned Coulson. 

His gait was incredibly stiff as he finally looked at the traitorous agent, which matched his robotic words. The only giveaway of emotion was in his harsh eyes as they seemed to bore right into Skye's. 

"I contacted him once the day I joined to tell him I was okay, and once earlier today, She replied quietly, "Miles and I, we met when we were both a little screwed up, we looked after one another and that's why I warned him! Not because we're working together!"

Despite Skye's sudden raise in volume, the cut-throat silence returned as she called him her friend. The word choice felt like a direct punch, as "friends" is how the rest of the team had viewed themselves in relation to Skye. She tried to apologise but it was completely brushed off by everyone and Coulson continued interrogating her in an attempt to find out who Miles was really working with. 

Ward paced back and forth within the room and Sophia moved to intercept him, both of them quietly discussing various documents and information that had been recovered. Fitz's eyes flickered over to the pair as he and Simmons also discussed the situation in whispers. Simmons followed his gaze and typically raised her eyebrow as Ward was clearly looking at Sophia softly, despite his clenched jaw and evident anger. Simmons was subtle in her staring but Fitz obviously forgot how long he was watching the other two agents for, and found himself blushing slightly as they both stared right back at him.


	4. Truth

The flat was vacated swiftly, with Skye jarringly secured in handcuffs. Everybody possessed anger against the hacker, but sadness and confusion were the main emotions currently at large. That couldn't be said for Coulson though, he was dead-set on referring to Skye as one of 'the prisoners', as if there was no doubt in his mind that that's all she now was. Skye had desperately tried to plea her case, that she'd not intended to be a traitor and that she just owed Miles this after all their years looking after each other. This apologising wasn't for herself, but for her team. The pain each of them displayed as they avoided all eye contact with her threatened to break her heart. 

The Bus was set for Hong Kong to intercept Chan, (following the leaked intel), yet no one's main focus was directed on that matter. Miles and Skye were locked in the interrogation room as the rest of the team glumly resided around the holotable and watched them bicker- Skye was busily defending S.H.I.E.L.D whilst Miles still saw them as a threat. She was just as much apart of the team as anyone else, even though she wasn't an agent. 

"Guy's dirty," announced Ward, "I can feel it."   
He took his eyes off the screen and moved to where Fitzsimmons and Sophia were trawling through various documents in an attempt to find Miles' motives. They were coming up short, periodically distracted by the interrogation room's camera feed. Simmons shook her head in disagreement at Ward's words, briefly waving a sheet of paper in his face.

"He's scrubbed clean actually, nothing much on him at all," Everyone sighed, "Got no family records, his apartment's under an alias, and he plays a lot of Minecraft..." 

Fitzsimmons paused from their work to excitedly discuss the game, leaving Ward and Sophia to exchange a glance and stare in disbelief at their co-workers. Truthfully, Sophia had never been good at the game and she wondered if Ward had ever played it, but now was definitely the wrong time to ask. The thought did cause a small smile though, and she made a mental note to ask him about it later. Ward rolled his eyes and sternly commanded that the two scientists continue looking, gaining a rivalling eye roll from Simmons, (which he couldn't see of course) and continued muttering from Fitz about the computer game's zombies. Sophia groaned exaggeratedly and muttered a low "shut up Fitz." With a scowl, Fitz childishly attempted to knock her papers off the table in response to the typical annoyance, making sure that Ward wasn't watching. There were only so many eye rolls the scientist could bare. 

Any remaining playfulness left within the team later disappeared as Ward returned from the interrogation room, Coulson right on his heels as he motioned for the team to regroup. 

"It appears Centipede took Chan," Coulson began, sending waves of worry through each team member. "They're clearly an international, well financed organisation, interested in creating a super soldier." They each digested this information silently and remained looking to Coulson for instruction, ignoring the slight panic he was clearly under too. The day was not going well at all. Miles' account information, (following the transaction between him and the company) allowed them to possibly identify where Chan was being held by Centipede, which was at least a helpful lead. May questioned what Centipede even wanted with Chan, and Fitzsimmons immediately presented their theory to the group. Considering his pyrokinetic abilities, the scientists believed that Chan could stabilise the elements of the serum that caused the test subjects to literally explode. Sophia massaged her temple briefly, weaving the new information together.

"With Chan, do Centipede have everything they need?"

She prayed that one of her teammates would debunk that idea, yet no one said anything remotely uplifting and the only confirmation was a curt nod from Fitz. As everyone moved wordlessly into motion to gather what was needed for the mission, the engineer turned to her. 

"I think now's the time I listen to your mission rants and learn how to shoot a gun properly." 

Sophia shook her head as he hurried into the lab, but decided he was correct. All of their arguments included her muttering that he'd be dead without her protection- in response to his own varying criticisms of her of course. 

"But you can't say I told you so!" He shouted from afar, earning a suppressed grin from Sophia. 

The agent grabbed her tactical, bullet-proof, clothing and the necessary weaponry for the mission at hand, briefly remembering how these stages of preparation were drilled into the operations agents at the academy everyday. Almost as if it was a reflex, she loaded the ammunition into the gun and placed it into her right hand without a thought, before turning to grab more bullets. Ward pressed them into her palm as he too gathered his equipment. Before they could finish preparing completely, a stern but steady voice cut through the air and instantly gained the agent's attention.

"Agent May and I will be handling the fieldwork." Coulson stopped in front of them and seemed almost apologetic as he swept over the sight in front of him. "You two will stay and oversee the prisoners." 

Ward and Sophia looked at each other with clear disbelief on their features, both understanding that it was the last thing either of them wanted to do. The thought was extremely uncomfortable, as agents such as themselves weren't supposed to let emotion affect them to such high degrees because it had the power to threaten whole operations. Yet, here they were, betrayed and angry with someone who was supposed to be on their side, their friend, and their agent in training. At least the tactical fieldwork could have served as a distraction. Sophia knew that she liked it that way, to allow her body to move and react as instructed with no room for personal matters. If only it had always been so easy. Coulson walked away briskly with one last apologetic look, leaving his agents silently anxious. In unison they removed their gear, both opening their mouths to speak- Ward got there first. 

"I'm her S.O, she's my responsibility." 

Ward gazed at Sophia as if he was pleading her to trust and believe in his words. It was so entirely different from the usual cold glare he'd send her way that she was slightly taken aback.

"Ward, don't." Sophia shook her head and inhaled sharply, "After our first mission together I saw Skye receive a text and I didn't say anything. You'd think with my record that I'd learn to trust what I see but, clearly not." 

The silence settled in again as neither could be bothered to continuously counter points on blame. Sophia looked in the direction of the interrogation room and sighed.

"Maybe that douchebag Miles can offer us his opinion, we'll explain both sides to him and he can choose, like a really sad competition." 

Ward actually smiled as they began to walk, "What's the prize?"

Sophia took a moment to think as they stepped through the door.   
"Personal satisfaction due to being right for once?"

The team- and Miles, (who received nothing but disgusted looks) - watched the operation unfold in front of them. Skye was typing rapidly onto a tablet, peering intently at the maps and information in front of her. Simmons nervously placed her head in her hands and wouldn't even blink as the action unfolded.   
"The entire facility has been locked down." She groaned, mirroring how everyone else felt. Fitz joined in, characteristically placing his hands on his back as he too watched Skye work.   
"Are we sure about this?"   
The only response he received was a disgruntled "no" from Ward, to which Sophia nodded in agreement. 

"I can fix this," Skye reassured the scientist, "I mean the alarm's disconnected the system from all exterior servers, so you've got to get me on-site."   
Both Ward and Miles responded by debunking her idea instantly, causing Fitzsimmons and Sophia to lock eyes at the awkwardness of their identical reactions.  

"You're a hacker Skye," Mike's rolled his eyes, "Not SEAL team six!" 

Skye sheepishly turned to Ward and Sophia. "No..but they are." 

Sophia raised her eyebrow and Ward cocked his head slightly, realising what she was proposing.

"Er- no," Fitz interjected, "They can't go in either." 

He trailed off, as if he'd regretted his words, but there wasn't enough time for the team to focus properly on his disagreement. He merely received a few confused glances and the scientist was completely overruled. Sophia nodded at Skye, wordlessly permitting her to continue and pitch a plan for the two Agents, despite the previous unsettlement between them. 

Sophia and Ward ended up beating the guards of the centipede facility senseless as a way to have Skye on-site semi-safely. Chan was completely out of control, his suddenly powerful abilities threatening the lives of Coulson and May considerably. They reached a computer and Skye got to work as Ward watched over her shoulder and Sophia guarded the entrance. 

"How long's this gonna take?" Ward stated bitterly. He clearly had no interest in making his negative feelings towards the hacker subtle. Despite also being hurt by her actions, Sophia couldn't help but grin as Skye wordlessly moved up from her chair, meaning that she'd been done as soon as Ward had questioned her. Skye's work meant that the doors were finally unlocked, and the Agents could hopefully find Chan before it was too late. They were unable to immediately locate him which raised the tension even further- nobody felt like dying in Chan's explosion. It was Fitzimmons- who resided safely inside The Bus- that managed to get the team out safely. With Miles' help securing various windows and doors they were able to see the facility and guide them to an exit, whilst making sure the building would contain the blast. There was a sombre silence as it occurred, with each agent taking a moment to reflect on the man that had caused the catastrophic event. 

•

The Bus's atmosphere was awkward, but there was a sense of underlying hope too. Perhaps the mistakes made could be amended, Skye had taken files from the building that would help track Centipede, showing that she was already displaying dedication to S.H.I.E.L.D again. Skye shuffled nervously over to May and Ward as they poured themselves a drink, ready to throw herself at their mercy, abolishing all pride as she apologised profusely. 

Sophia and Fitzsimmons watched discreetly as Skye made her way up to Coulson's office, all glad they weren't in her current position. When simmons excused herself to grab a drink of her own, Sophia turned to the scientist opposite her.

"I presume you're interested in Agent Ward and I?" She smirked at Fitz, realising they always seemed to end missions this way. He stuttered over his words slightly, denying the statement in an attempt to seem nonchalant.

"Fitz," She laughed, "You and Simmons always stare, and you talk really loudly. Honestly, how you're an Agent I really don't know." 

"Due to my extremely high intellect, thank you very much!" Fitz narrowed his eyes at her. "It's not my fault you and Ward are either arguing about... shooting accuracy or something, and then having these weird, comforting moments!" 

Sophia paused for a moment, clearly contemplating the situation in her head. She made sure Simmons hadn't returned before suddenly faltering a bit. 

"We've worked tough missions together, and one particularly tough mission that... set me back for a little while. We've always fought, but surprisingly, he was the only one to get through to me after it happened. I guess we still have our differences but he's annoyingly understanding- very occasionally."

Sophia kept her eyes trained on Fitz, gouging his reaction, testing him in a way. He fell serious too as his eyes filled with emotion, but there was no pity present. Sophia was secretly very grateful for this, he hadn't asked further questions or become uncomfortably different in his approach. He simply nodded understandably, thanked her for telling him, and reverted back to his usual sarcastic, exasperated, comments within the minute. Simmons returned with her drink and smiled at her best friend and Sophia, glad to see that the atmosphere was light between them- it had felt a lot angrier passing Ward and May. It was unusual for Fitz to be confident around newer people, and Simmons decided that even if they didn't always seem to get on, Sophia's presence was good for Fitz.


	5. Unknown

FITZ HELD HIS BREATH as Ward gripped a new weapon in his hands. Being so immensely proud  of the design and finish meant that Fitz wouldn't be able to contain himself if the specialist Agent made the usual disappointing comment- there was always something "just off". Ward weighed it up in his hands, moving them smoothly over the gun's surface before snapping it into a shooting position. Sophia had to physically bite her tongue due to the ridiculous intensity upon Ward's face- he was so needlessly extravagant in his approach.

"Sorry Fitz," He sighed, "It's close, but it's just not right." 

Agent Ward set the gun back down and Sophia wondered if Fitz was going to shoot Ward with it himself, right then and there. 

"Really?" He questioned, the smile wiped completely off his face, "Because Agent Marshall had no problems, neither did Coulson." 

Ward's eyes flickered over to Sophia as if she'd betrayed him yet she shrugged casually. "It's true. Absolutely fine for me, perhaps your perfectionist instincts need to be lowered?"

Ward stood and contemplated for a moment, nudging the gun ever so slightly. 

"It's an ounce too heavy." 

Skye, who had previously remained silent throughout the whole exchange, spun round in her chair. 

"An ounce?!" She echoed in disbelief. 

Sophia scoffed at Ward, moving from her own chair to peer over Fitz's shoulder at the weapon as he held it up. The scientist turned his head behind him for a second, widening his eyes at her to silently show his irritability with Agent Ward. 

"Seriously?" Skye continued.

Ward sighed, as if he was the only one who knew anything at all, and began to explain how an ounce was ultimately the difference between life and death. Fitz still held the in weapon his hand, moving it up and down ever so slightly in an attempt to grasp Ward's logic. The two girls possessed completely blank expressions in response to the specialist agent's dramatics, whereas a deep-set frown settled onto Agent Fitz's face as he began to counter Ward's points. There was a brief period of silence as the older agent stared the scientist down, before he sternly re-emphasised his original point. 

"Lose the ounce."

Fitz held his gaze but muttered a quiet agreement in response. Sophia wasn't sure whether she was proud of Fitz for beginning to take a stand, or surprised that he'd backed down like that. Usually Fitz was incredibly confident in his work, but it was fair to say that Ward had chosen to be more intimidating than normal. 

"I'm Agent Grant Ward!" Murmured Fitz as he re-assessed his design, speaking with an American accent. "I could shoot the legs of a flea from 500 yards.... as long as it's not windy." 

Sophia spluttered at his impression and Skye simultaneously burst into laughter. Fitz's eyes lit up as the hacker grinned, and he placed the weapon down before swiftly moving over to her. 

"Hey that's a sound I haven't heard in a bit!"

Sophia rolled her eyes, knowing she'd been abruptly cut from the conversation as Skye ranted about "living in Ward's dog house". Fitz nodded along empathetically, their conversation focussed on the consequences of Skye's previous betrayal to the team. She moved up from her seat when the conversation turned Miles based, getting Sophia's attention and including her again. Sophia shook her head but smiled as she secretly enjoyed the constant "boy talk" with Skye- it was such a normal discussion to have in their otherwise hectic worlds.

"It's not like I'm comparing Ward to Miles, but at least with Miles I didn't have to worry about passive aggressive stuff. We spoke the same language you know?" 

Fitz agreed a little too enthusiastically.

"Ward is boring and so is Miles, don't worry about either of them." Sophia groaned before turning to Fitz. "I hope you're a better boyfriend to Simmons than Miles was to Skye."

Fitz's eyes went as wide as they possibly could and he clutched onto the table for support as he gathered himself, the blood rushing to his face.

"Simmons is my friend!"

Skye hid her grin. Sophia knew Fitzsimmons were best friends, but messing with Fitz was almost too easy when it came to the two of them. 

"You and Simmons are so tight!" Reiterated Skye, "Its like you're psychically linked." 

They continued to discuss Fitzsimmons at length, cheerily discussing the uncanny similarities between the scientists. As if to perfectly prove the girls' points, Simmons waltzed into the lab and expressed her great frustration with Ward's opposition to the Night-Night pistol by doing an exaggerated impression of him, just as Fitz had. All four of them burst into laughter at Jemma's rusty American accent and Sophia smiled at Fitz with a rare sincerity to show him that they were only messing with him. The comfortable happiness of the moment ceased instantly as Ward marched back into the lab, causing each Agent to quickly hold their laughter. 

"Hey, hustle up and grab your gear!" He commanded with his voice raised, "We're on a mission." 

Fitz let out the slightest breathy laugh before literally biting his tongue, but it was enough to nearly set the others off too. Due to their reactions in response go his serious words, Ward turned back to face them and narrowed his eyes.

"Something funny?"

•

The fresh air felt glorious to the seven agents considering a majority of their time was spent in a cramped, albeit incredible plane. The luscious trees that surrounded them couldn't have been more of a luxury, and they each peered gratefully up into the canopy. 

"Troop leader's name was Adam Cross," stated Phil, explaining the predicament that had led to their mission, "Said he'd heard something in the woods and went to check it out. That's where the electrostatic anomaly occurred." 

Fitzsimmons immediately began to question their boss on the nature of the electrostatic anomaly, surprising no one as their thirst for knowledge was frankly unquenchable. Fitz confusedly explained that anomalies are always caused by a massive electrical storm, which hadn't happened in this case. Coulson took a deep breath before telling them that this case was different, and had side effects that they'd never seen before. The rest of the team scoured the campsite, as Fitzsimmons attempted to reach a rational answer, taking into account anything unusual or bizarre. Sophia and May lifted up the hood of Adam Cross' truck and realised that the battery had been blown straight through the hood. Sophia frowned, yelling at Fitz to come over. She didn't like not understanding and found it hard to be patient when she didn't. Fitz grumbled but hurried over to her all the same, muttering that "please isn't a hard word to say." 

"Okay science boy, what's this all about?" 

Fitz glared at her, raising his eyebrow slightly as if his answer would be obvious. "What do you think I'm here to work out?" 

Sophia muttered a "fine", turned away from him without saying anything, and only then realised that May had left her. 

"Okay, okay." Sighed Fitz, touching her shoulder to regain her attention. It was hard to tell when Sophia was genuinely asking a question or attempting to irritate him, and he felt bad for snapping at her. "All I know is that anomalies like these are usually caused by electrical storms, right? However, there were no electrical storms within a one hundred mile radius of the site last night."   
Sophia nodded, noting how his eyes lit up as he discussed the basic technicalities. Fitz stopped talking for a second and bit his lip, showing that he didn't like not understanding either. "Coulson says that this anomaly is different, and that there's some side effect we've never seen before though, obviously evidenced through the lack of a storm." 

What neither of them knew was that Coulson had under-exaggerated the side effect completely. 

The team stood with their mouths agape, gazing up at the floating body in front of them with wonderment. Fitz and Simmons stood closest as Fitz wordlessly retrieved his tablet, assessing and analysing what he could see. Coulson asked if they had any idea what would cause such a bizarre incident but the scientists ended up speaking over each other rapidly, neither of them actually sure at all. 

Ward suddenly pitched his idea, causing Sophia to frown ever so slightly. "Seems to me like we're either dealing with some freak natural event or a new high-teach weapon." When had he become such a scientist? Skye put forth the idea of it being someone off the index, relishing the chance to bring it up again. She was slightly obsessed with the index as her original shock towards the lack of privacy it created never wore off. No one was satisfied with any answer, realising that they were, for once, well and truly stumped. Jemma moved cautiously towards the body, noticing the bullet wound on the man's head. As she motioned for Fitz to get closer too, an electric shock caused her to jump backwards as the body fell to the floor. 

"Freaky." Stated Fitz as their eyes followed the body. 

No one disagreed. 

•

Skye ran a background check on Cross but came up short as there was nothing suspicious on the man at all, nothing that could aid their investigation. Typically, Ward and Skye ended up disputing over her S.H.I.E.L.D tracking device and having had enough of the pointless bickering, Coulson and Sophia left to find Fitzsimmons in the lab.   
Simmons was stood over the deceased body in full medical gear, the flashlight tied to her head illuminating the grim wound in the man's head. Fitz however, refused to be present in the room. Both Coulson and Sophia cocked their heads with questioning glances at the scientist, wondering why he was stood behind the safety of a glass door. 

"Ah," Jemma followed their amused stare, "Fitz detected a strange energy coming from the man's body." 

"He's afraid of it isn't he?" Said Sophia as Coulson smiled, raising her voice slightly so he was sure to hear the comment. From where he safely resided, Fitz shook his head venomously at the female agent, shouting about it being the smell. As Fitzsimmons began to heatedly debate the true reasoning behind Fitz's hesitance towards the body, Sophia and Coulson grew impatient.

"Guys!" Phil grabbed their attention, "Can we please?"

Simmons explained that the man's brain had been hit with 2000 megajoules of electrostatic energy, which shockingly matched double the power of a lightning bolt. Simmons started to explain that she was going to need to extract some brain tissue but Fitz worriedly and suddenly revealed, (from behind the glass) that the satellite was picking up another electrostatic event, 20km from their location. 

Sophia shot Fitz a pleading look, and with a sharp inhale he barged through the door, moved Sophia out of his way, and sped up considerably as he passed the floating body. 

***


	6. Fear

Everyone felt hollow.

Their short-lived victory felt like another solved mission, another win, and a brilliant chance for scientific development- however, they couldn't have been more wrong. Fitz leant against the glass, Jemma on the other side as he desperately fiddled with machinery in his hands. He knew he had to find a cure, or Jemma would die. With a rapid tap on the glass he grabbed her attention to display the device he'd been working on. It was a capsule of some sorts that both scientists smiled at, but once Fitz turned away clear panic was displayed on his features. Time was running out. 

The rest of the team stood further away from the scientists in an attempt to give them privacy as they worked a solution, but with Fitzsimmons clearly in their eye-line it was obvious that no work was taking place. The previous morning they'd all spent together working the case of the floating man felt like a different time altogether, as mere hours ago they'd bonded through playfully mocking Ward and now Jemma had hours left to live- tensions couldn't be higher. 

"Simmons believe she contracted the virus approximately 36 hours ago when she received an electrostatic shock from the first victim." Coulson finished his quiet sentence with a gaze cast on the floor, finding it hard to address the dire situation.   
Skye questioned how long she'd have left, in response to the given information, and everyone's faces fell even graver. "Based on when the firemen were infected, how quickly their symptoms manifested... two hours at most." 

Sophia swallowed hard, balling her hands into fists in an attempt to steady her rapid heartbeat. Skye continuously tried to convince them all- or perhaps just herself- that they had enough time, listing the many resources and labs that were in S.H.I.E.L.D's possession. 

"It takes us three hours to reach the ground," Stated Sophia, her voice surprisingly steady, "If we can't land in time Simmons will release a pulse that will blow us all out of the sky." Her voice wavered at the end of her sentence and glancing at the despairing scientists once more, she walked away from the group. Nobody stopped her as they all understood, but Sophia felt weak for not being able to control her emotions. Fitz watched her leave, causing his heart to sink even further- it felt as if everyone had really given up. His whole world was falling apart, deteriorating with every fleeting second, and no one had a solution. 

Ward found Sophia leaning against the main table, her attention focussed solely on the facing screen. It showed the lab and Simmons' attempts at a cure- failed attempts- and Sophia's heartbeat could not slow down. Ward didn't say anything at first, he merely came and stood beside her though his anxiousness was revealed through how tense his whole body was. Neither of them even exchanged a glance, it felt as if breaking the grave silence in any way would allow for reality to flood in all at once, and neither wanted to reflect on the consequences of this virus. They hated not knowing, hated not having a way out as always. 

"We can't lose them." Muttered Sophia, her eyes still trained on the screen depicting Fitzsimmons. Ward nodded briefly, sighing before saying anything himself. However, he did question her use of the word "them", and Sophia wondered how it wasn't obvious. 

"If we lose Jemma, we lose Fitz right alongside her." The agent's voice was shaky now, "No matter if we manage to survive this, if she doesn't Fitz might as well be dead." Ward did look at her now, his eyes filled with unreadable emotion. With a harsh jolt, Sophia realised it was grief and quickly looked away- he was already mourning. 

"I don't know why I ask now but...you and Fitz, is there really resentment there?" Sophia was surprised at his question, unsure as how to reply. 

"No, not on my behalf anyway." She remained quiet for a moment, searching for the answer herself. "I guess there's always people you clash with, but truthfully? I think he intimidates me." Ward furrowed his eyebrows, clearly wanting her to explain further. 

"God he'd love to hear me say that." She muttered, shaking her head. "Fitz is incredibly smart- ridiculously so. It's as if he can work his way out of anything. People like him change the world and people like me... don't." 

Sophia felt this way about Simmons too, but she'd managed to become fast friends with the female scientist. It wasn't often that close friendship occurred so fast for the specialist agent, yet Simmons managed to be one of the first in Sophia's life to achieve that. Fitz was friendly, his intentions always good, but he remained a slight puzzle- maybe his walls were up too. All Sophia knew was that she couldn't lose Simmons and the helplessness she felt was taking over. 

"I wanted it to be a person, you know?" Ward muttered quietly before clearing his throat. "That way I could do something about it. Right now I'm just... helpless." Sophia faced him again with a nod, and they silently knew that they understood each other perfectly in that moment. There wasn't anything else they could do or say, and it was killing the both of them. Skye appeared, taking tentative steps into the room and offered the two agents a small smile. Sophia returned the gesture as she left the space, deciding that Ward would probably need Skye's company more than he'd like to admit in that moment. 

She had no idea where to go. Coulson was no doubt helplessly communicating with those higher up in S.H.I.E.L.D and Sophia didn't need to hear anymore bad news, May would either be by his side or working through the situation alone, and she'd just left Ward and Skye. The last person she considered visiting was usually the first, and that thought tugged on her heart. Feeling extremely guilty for being so against going to see her, Sophia walked slowly through the plane until she reached the area of the lab.   
Fitz was restlessly playing with his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists before tugging on his fingers and then running a hand through his hair. He was completely fixated on Simmons though, obviously fidgeting so relentlessly in a subconscious attempt to distract himself from the painful sight in front of him. She was hurrying around the lab as she always did, grabbing various vials and tools, but this time she was different, fear radiating off her as she dropped the items in her possession. The sharp sound of the items hitting the floor caused Fitz to wince and step forward, as if the physical barrier didn't exist between them and he could actually help her. Sophia felt sick. 

"It's all right," Soothed Fitz, "Everything's going to be fine." 

"Please stop saying that," Jemma huffed, shooting him a quick glare as she turned to face his direction, "I see you looking at your watch." 

Sophia suddenly felt intrusive, yes she was becoming friends with the two scientists, but everyone knew that nothing could rival the bond between Fitzsimmons, and therefore no one could understand the current pain like them. She turned to leave, but Simmons caught her eye and despite the circumstances, she still gave her a warm smile. Fitz didn't even bother to turn around but Sophia didn't blame him, there was no way Fitz could focus on anything that wasn't his infected partner. 

"Are you sure you don't need my help with that?" He questioned as Jemma clamped a vial. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the device earlier constructed by Fitz.  
"Are you sure this thing even works?" She snapped, taking him aback completely.   
"I know it does," He muttered, "My device isn't the issue, it's the vaccine."   
As Jemma criticised the device further, Fitz snapped.

"I was doing just fine tucked away in a safe, indoor, non-mobile lab at the academy." His voice was rising higher and higher with each syllable. "Then you had to go and drag us into this flying circus! Didn't even pass our field assessments for God's sakes! Ward and Marshall never let us forget that and probably for good reason too!"  
The fighting intensified as Jemma retorted equal anger, and Fitz began to mock her with an exaggerated impression of her when she'd convinced Fitz that they should join the team. Sophia couldn't take it, she knew their fighting was a result of the awful circumstances but she almost wanted to shout at the both of them to be quiet. It wasn't her place to make any comment at all however, and she proceeded to inconspicuously fiddle with a button on her jacket.

Tears filled Jemma's eyes as Fitz finished his rant and he fell silent too, no doubt just as upset as her. 

"I can't fix this Fitz." Jemma finally muttered with defeat, "The antibodies from the three firefighters aren't strong enough to fight this virus, its born from alien DNA. No ones actually survived this except..."  
Simmons trailed off, but Fitz finished the sentence immediately, lifting his head as he worked it out.   
"The Chitauri." 

Sophia raised her eyebrows as the scientists' mood changed completely. They begun to speak incredibly fast, excitement lacing every word they spoke. She wasn't too sure what they'd figured out, but the sudden shift in tone was enough to lift her spirits too. Fitz took off without another word, racing past Sophia as he yelled about immunity. 

•

Fitz raced back into the lab before anyone could stop him, (despite Coulson's stern shout) clutching the box that contained the infected helmet. Jemma protested as he entered, telling him that he couldn't be in there with her, but it was too late- as Fitz said himself. Coulson, Skye, and Sophia worriedly moved closer to the lab's doors, watching Fitz with an anxiousness that matched Simmons'. 

"We're going to fix this... together." He said, announcing it with so much faith in his own words that no one said anything to question it. They could now only stare. Ward and May joined the three as Fitzsimmons began to work, and despite exchanging quizzical, shocked, glances with their teammates, the silence was yet to be disturbed. 

It was as if Fitzsimmons had never worked so fast, their dedication to the work overruling any previous emotions as they began on the antiserum. Sophia couldn't help but admire them as she viewed the scene with trepidation filling her veins. They truly were the smartest people she knew, and despite constantly doubting their strength, they were the some of the bravest people she'd seen.   
The time passed fleetingly and everyone's nerves resurfaced with an increased intensity. Simmons paused to turn and look at her teammates every few minutes, and it was clear that her hope had begun to disappear too. The antiserum was finally complete, after going through many complicated machines, microscopes, and chemicals. Nobody doubted the scientist's abilities, but it was still terrifying to wait for a result. 

A collective breath was taken. 

The result was not positive. Terror held each team member in its iron fist as they watched the test subject fail to be cured. Everyone's eyes widened with shock or they emitted an unbelieving "no", yet Jemma's face just fell completely blank as she turned to face Coulson through the glass. Fitz had turned away from everyone as Jemma took a moment to brace herself for the next step. 

"Sir, I know the protocol in these circumstances," She smiled nonchalantly, as if their worlds hadn't just come crashing down. "But could you please tell my Dad first?" Jemma's smile faded immediately as she realised what she was having to say. "I just think my mum would take it better if it comes from him."  
Coulson tried to tell her that there was still time, but he eventually gave in, his face falling sombre as he nodded at her requests. Jemma turned to the rest of the team and swallowed deeply before politely asking for a moment alone with Fitz. They all obliged of course, dispersing away from the lab as reality settled in, hitting them harder than they could've imagined. 

Once they'd vacated the area, Ward immediately asked for their orders. May had informed the team that Agent Blake was on the line, and it was clear that Coulson couldn't ignore his requests to "dump the infected cargo" any longer. Hearing Ward's words caused Sophia to briefly wrap an empathetic arm around Skye's shoulder, as she could see the pain furthering on the hacker's face as what was about to happen truly dawned on them. However, they never had to hear the words come out of Coulson's mouth due to a blaring alarm ripping through the plane. 

"Someone's lowering the cargo hold ramp." Announced May, panic present in her voice for once. Ward comprehended her words first, and wasted no time with his reaction. Sophia followed him without a second thought, racing after him through the plane to reach the ramp. They ran into the space as quickly as possible, but Jemma was nowhere to be seen. Fitz was the only person present, desperately struggling to fit a parachute as he gripped something in his hand so hard that his knuckles turned white. Ward snatched the parachute and cure off him, sending Fitz stumbling backwards into Sophia, who held him as he shouted in distress. 

"She jumped!" He continuously repeated, his eyes fixated on where Ward had leapt from, as if the event was incomprehensible. He calmed down slightly, the immediate shock wearing off, and he turned to face Sophia. 

"She jumped." 

It was a whisper this time, and Sophia felt sadness wash over her for the scientist as she gently pulled him away from the open ramp. 

•

Skye and Sophia winced as Coulson yelled at both Simmons and Ward, but they'd never been so relieved to hear him so angry. Jemma was safe, alive, and uninfected, and that was worth all of Coulson's wrath. They briskly moved away from his office door once they heard footsteps from inside, not needing to receive any of Coulson's frustrations themselves. Skye chose to wait for Jemma and Ward as they spoke, but Sophia decided to locate Fitz, promising to return within a few minutes. 

She stuck her head into his bunk, not bothering to knock, and greeted him with a bright "Hey!".   
Fitz raised his eyebrows, unsure as to whether he'd ever heard Sophia be so cheery towards him. 

"Have you been infected with something too?" He teased, "Its pretty unusual for you to be so nice." 

Sophia clambered into his bunk, ignoring his protests as she told him to move up, and sat down next to him on the pitifully small bed. Fitz was sat with his arms laced around a pillow, and Sophia grabbed the other one to mirror his position. Neither of them spoke immediately, allowing for the day to properly settle in. 

"Ward isn't the only hero here, you know that right?" 

Fitz looked up at Sophia, biting his lip slightly as she'd clearly articulated some of the thoughts that were buzzing around his brain. When he began to murmur disagreeing comments she cut him off instantaneously, not allowing for any further self-deprecating words from Fitz.

"Shut up Fitz!" She exclaimed, shaking her head at him. "Without you there would be no cure at all, so without you, it wouldn't have even mattered if Ward had jumped out of the plane or not. You saved her life." 

The engineer didn't say anything, clearly still having a hard time believing the agent's words, yet a smile claimed his face all the same. 

"I admire you Fitz." She suddenly blurted out.

Sophia opened her mouth to expand on that point, but leapt up from the bed when she saw Jemma standing in the doorway, and pulled her into the tightest hug she'd ever been apart of. Jemma laughed at the unexpected affection from her fellow agent, but gladly reciprocated the loving action. 

"Do anything like that again and I'll kick you off this plane myself." Sophia muttered sternly.  
She gave Fitz one last, brief smile, before exiting his bunk, knowing that the scientists needed their lonesome time together, unaware of Fitz's lingering, bewildered stare.

***


End file.
